Karin Bohn
photo by Gabriel Cabrera
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? I’d love to have a home in Whistler for the winter months, and a vacation home in Tulum, Mexico.
What are three words to describe your style?
Bold
Eclectic
Concept-Forward
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? The walls were painted in a pale lavender, and I sponge-painted an accent panel near the ceiling in a dark purple and teal color—a very ’90s palette, I suppose. I also covered the walls almost floor to ceiling with tear-outs from fashion magazines. I was obsessed with fashion and loved Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? I have to sheepishly admit that I have nothing designer in my house right now. We sold our renovated townhouse in early 2022 and sold some of the furniture with it. We moved into a rental just after my daughter was born, and I’ve done nothing with it. I finally hung a picture just before the holidays, and it’s a family photo. I have a serious case of the shoemaker’s children (I think that’s how the saying goes).
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Banda Property
No room is complete without drapery.
People think of me as unfazed, but I am really sensitive.
Things you omit from
A flower arrangement: greenery
An hors d’oeuvre platter: miniature sweet pickles (large ones are even worse)
A bar cabinet: As of 2026 – Alcohol. I’ve gone dry. Otherwise from a décor standpoint, anything artificial. No flowers, no fake fruit, a bar doesn’t need it and there are so many way to dress a bar without the fake props.
A song for
Dinner at home: Into soulful jazz right now, like the 1950’s version of Gin & Juice
Working at your desk: Any kind of meditation music
Going for a run: I don’t listen to music when I run, but if I did, it would be meditation music
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? I’m loving the furniture brand Orior. This credenza is everything (you have to see it in person).
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? There is a lot of pattern and color in my closet. Everything must be comfortable, but well made and tailored appropriately. I mix and match my pieces often, which echoes my interior design style.
Who is your star crush? Joaquin Phenix. Love that lip scar.
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? I’m not a big fan of a transitional design style. When I see transitional spaces that are pulled together beautifully, I can really appreciate them, but it’s not a design direction I would choose for my own work.
What design book do you find yourself going back to again and again? It’s not a book, but Architectural Digest. I always come back to it for inspiration and resources.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for?
I want my work to be known for not fitting into a box. Every project is unique and differs from one another, and I also have a hard time labeling a project—like “mid-century,” “farmhouse,” etc.
There are many different reference points that influence each project, as well as sense and intuition, so the result is very bespoke and varied. My two top values at the studio are creativity and quality, and that’s what I want my work to be known for.
Photo by When They Find Us
A Few Favorites:
Movie: Closer with Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman. It’s such a great study in character development.
Book: Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza.
Scent: Bergamot & grapefruit.
The fabric you always come back to: Velvet
Dream project: My next house (a personal project)
Meal: Anything Asian. I love Chinese soup dumplings, really good sashimi, or Vietnamese spring rolls.
Drink: Coffee. Or Pellegrino and lemon. I like my staples I guess, and I’ve cut alcohol.
Hotel: Proper Hotel in both Santa Monica and Austin, Texas.
Travel Destination: Sailing through the Virgin Islands.
Artist: Corno. A Canadian artist from Montreal, known for her bold expressive paintings of woman, and woman’s bodies in a post-pop style. Her work really spoke to me early in my design career. Today I’m also really loving Janna Watson out of Toronto. I have a big appreciation for the spiritual aspect of her paintings.
A cause near and dear to me: Selfless Sundays. It’s a tradition that we recently started as a family—on the first Sunday of each month, we do an act of selflessness. We’ve made sandwiches and handed out food to the homeless on the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver, and we’ve compiled clothing for the nonprofit organization Dress for Success. Our daughter is about to turn four, and we love that she’s being exposed to helping, volunteering, and giving to those less fortunate.
Thing to collect obsessively: Right now, sound. Bowls, rain sticks, etc.
Era in the history of design: Honestly, I love the flavor of design today and the mash-up and mix of so many styles that can be found in portfolios. I find that my work often incorporates retro or midcentury elements along with classical details like crown molding and architectural trim. Combined with modern sculptural furniture, for me it’s a winning recipe.
Museum: There are so many great museums in Europe with classical works that I really appreciate like the Vatican or the Design Museum in London. That being said, while this is not my all-time favorite museum, what does come to mind is the Audain art Museum in Whistler. The building itself is a beautiful contemporary structure designed by Patkau Architects and they have a large permanent collection of indigenous art from British Columbia.
Benjamin Moore Paint Color: There are too many… but if I had to pick one, I’m going to say OC-15 Baby Fawn. It’s such a beautiful, deep, but warm and neutral off-white. Beige is back, baby!
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: Banda Property
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? A dog. A French bulldog named Oscar.
